To Have Power
by emotionalpoemgirl
Summary: Max thinks the Flock is safe. She is very wrong. Scared by a extremely strong, new power, Max accidentally pushes Fang away. Now, 2 years later, can the Flock survive Mr. Chu and join together? And what about Brigid? Set after Max. Yes, two prologues...


** Here goes nothing. Its long for a Chapter (probably longer than most chapters) but you need the background. Um… Hope you like 'cause my beta only went over it once… at lunch…**

**Just some notes before I begin (should be for the whole story):**

_Angel talking someone's head_

"_Person's reply to Angel"_

"Voice"

"Max's reply to voice_"_

Thoughts/ 3rd person/descriptions/other/normal stuff?

"Speech"

**A/N **

**Oh, and flashbacks just say Flashback at the beginning and End Flashback when it ends, kay?**

A tall, brown-haired, very tan Max relaxes outside, under a large tree. How does it get so tall? I bet Iggy knows. What is he, 6 foot 7 now? I'll have to ask him…

"Max!" Angel, a lean blond-haired child drags Max out of her 'childish thoughts'. "Oh, it's okay! People think strange things when they doze!" Yes, Angel is gifted, along with most of my family, the Flock. Yeah, my family is called the Flock. Live with it. We are different from your average bozos in other ways too. But more on that later.

"Like, how Fang thinks about you when he is dozing." That's new… "_Me?"_

"Max… He loves you! He thinks about when you kiss and…" Angel is playing matchmaker again. Kissing. Perfect thoughts while to next the mindreading 6 year-old. Nice Fang, nice. You really had to let your thoughts wander. At least she went quiet, even if it was not soon enough. There was something she was going to say. No one keeps secrets from the leader of the Flock.

"7 year-old! How many times do I have to tell you?" She is definitely avoiding the question. _"Angel, be careful with your tone…"_

"What does he think about?" My voice is steely, speaking out loud this time. Attitude from Angel + Extra Talkative Nudge + Iggy and Gazzy making BOMBS = Tired, Annoyed Max. Still, Angel just flounces over from where she was playing in the sandbox. And, of course, sits right next to me. No escape now if this goes wrong.

"He thinks about talking… and flying… and emotions. And what do you mean by 'tone'." Emotions?

"He likes to read your face." Okay, that makes sense. I spend more time on Fang's face then the rest of the Flock's. Fang's semi-long, black hair covering his half face, mixed with his guarded exterior, meant he was very hard to read. Except when he is flying, then he always looks slightly happy. Yes, I did say FLYING.

You know how I said I had one weird family? I was not kidding. For one, all six of us kids have wings. We were experimented on for almost ten years (well, the oldest of us) at a research facility the Flock calls the School (When we were there, school was something they all complained about so, what do you expect?). The School is where we met. I'm the oldest of the Flock at an ancient 15. Fang and Iggy are a few month younger, but around the same age. Nudge is 12; the Gasman is 9 and Angel, the youngest, is 7. I always think of her as my baby.

Most of the flock has no parents and are completely unrelated. Gasman, or Gazzy for short, and Angel are related by blood. They were sold to the school. The rest of us have no clue about our parents expect Iggy. We found his parent and, whoop-de-doo; they tried to sell his story to the whole world. Telling us that was one of the only times I've seen him cry. Overall, the whole Flock almost never, ever cries. Even Angel can take broken bones without crying. When they do, as oldest, it's my job to comfort them. Perfect… Not.

Being the oldest means a lot; I'm the leader, I take care of food, shelter and make most decisions. It can be hard, but someone has to do it. And like I said, we all are "gifted" with strange and useful powers. I personally can go super-sonic, breathe underwater and have a crazy little voice in my head. You don't have one? Target has a sale.

Fang can go invisible by staying really still and breathe under water. A very cool effect when combined. Nudge, the resident stylist and the most voluble of us all, can feel emotions/actions of people who have touch an item before her. That makes her a great hacker. Nudge can also pull metal towards herself. Iggy is lucky enough to be able to feel colors, lucky only because he is blind. Except Iggy can see the color white, he has to be snow-blinded to see any other color. And then what other colors are there? On the side, he and the Gasman are our resident pyromaniacs. Besides that little (violent) gift, the Gasman can mimic anything like a mockingbird (no pun intended) and has a rather, err, smelly gift. Look at his name and guess. Or take your average fart-master and times by 10 or so. Gazzy's farts are nuclear. Although we all are special (If I do say so myself), Angel got the genetic jackpot: she can read/control minds, breathe underwater and change her appearance at will. If you have not noticed, 3 of us can breathe underwater. No clue why but it has saved my life, so I'm not complaining. Now back to the story.

Overly tired, I careful spread my huge, speckled wing slightly. With the tree at my back, they are hidden from unwanted eyes but aren't causing me any pain like when they tight against my back. Doing a quick 360, and seeing nothing, leaves me feeling fairly secure. I didn't see anyone.

Angel curls up beside me. The sun is still high in the sky and I would judge it to be about 2:30 or so. Thinking over the last few months, I realized how good life is. Sure, I have gotten attacked, but overall almost no running. I found my mom, Mrs. Martinez, and even though I don't stay with her often (preferring to camp out), it is nice to know there is somewhere to go when you just need some cookies. Not truly awake, I realize it has been weeks since the last M-Geek attack. Maybe, just maybe it's over. Could it? I ask myself before entering the land of dreams.

Darkness had fallen, so when I awoke I was livid with myself. I am supposed to be in charge, always planning, ON TIME! I can't sleep the day away and be late for dinner. But my dream haunted my mind.

My nightmare this afternoon seemed oddly similar. I saw Erasers in ranks of hundreds, lupine-human mixes that came from the school. In human form, they looked like super-model but had the ability to morph into wolf men, like werewolves. They were the only experiments besides us to make more than a few days. Unlike us they had no drive to escape, preferring to work for the school as punishers, executioners. Later, just for us (read: to chase and kill us, the flock) they started to be made with wings. I don't why I would dream of them, they should be all dead.

I also saw Flyboys, Erasers mechanical replacements. Always half morphed; Flyboys also had wings and more power than Erasers, but can't survive fire or water. The School made thousands but since Itex (owner of the School) was shut down, we have not seen the skin-covered robots

"Come on, Angel! It's time to go home." Gently staking her awake, I do a quick 360 to check for danger. There is nothing out of the ordinary, just the normal park stuff. Swings, grass, trees and a small running path peacefully surround us. I take off towards home with Angel following. I can smell Iggy's cooking from here.

Almost silently we enter a small alleyway that we use as a shortcut. Of course it had to start raining. And the alley is too small to fly in. But, we hadn't been attacked for weeks and were feeling safe, secure. We were wrong. Nowhere is safe.

The slight hiss of suppressed breathing causes me to go on guard. Checking over my shoulder, I block my mind from Angel. No use getting her worried. I check the distance between the brick walls of the alley. At 10 or so feet Angel's 9ft wing-span will just fit.

"On the count of 10, you are going to get out of here, Angel. Go home and fly to the meeting place with the Flock. If I'm not there in 5 hours you go. Got it?" I say this loudly. Angel nods, but looks confused. At least she knows what to do even if she doesn't know why. I count…

"1…2…" I can count at least 15 M-Geeks. Perfect. Catch the sarcasm?

"3…4…" As I whisper this Angel tenses. We never jump on the number we say we will…

"5…6!" I throw Angel into the air as layers M-Geeks surround me. They are a little slow off the mark, but seem more graceful then before. And more plentiful. Once again, perfect.

The sight of Angel's body outlined against the moon fuels my fury. They were planning on to hurting her. I break the small silence always formed before battle with a solid snap-kick to one of M-Geeks heads. They rush me, moving as one; all of them staring with their glowing green eyes.

Time slows; it is almost like they are waiting in line as I lunge into a flurry of punches and kicks. My favorite, a roundhouse kick to the head will turn them off for a few seconds. It is exactly 6.73 seconds before they will begin to attack again. A well timed sweep take out their ankles before a surprise chop to the armpit will shut the newest version of the M-Geeks down. M-G 2.0 has a couple weaknesses; I was honestly worried for a second. Taking down one of the last I look around for the first time since the fight began. And nearly fainted. This is not good.

There is a literal sea of every enemy I have ever fought. All of them lead by the infamous Mr. Chu. How did he buy the Erasers, and Flyboys? He even got dumb-bots from the Uber-director, they are barely visible; hobbits mixed in to a field of giants. M-Geeks, his own creation, are by far the most plentiful. Over all there seems to be a 4 hundred or more, stuffed in the little alley and the surrounding area. There goes any chance they might have under estimated me. So I resort to sarcasm. Hey, it can't hurt!

"Hey Chewy! These all for me? It's not my birthday for a while yet." Love sarcasm. Almost as much as I love cookies and feeling safe-ish. I never feel safe, but I was close for a bit. Hopeful. Mr. Chu stands at the back, still and emotionless; like he has no feelings. Maybe he has no feeling; that would explain why he never angers…

"_He has feelings. And so do you." _Oh-yay! The voice has come to the party. "I do have emotions. I kind of knew that."

"_Use your feelings._" Okay… It got me there. Stupid yoda voice has to make me confused.

"Give up Maximum Ride. I have you surrounded. Give up and I might let the "Flock" live." Mr. Chu's words cause me start burning with rage. I feel like I'm catching on fire! Sure it hurts but I can manage, right? I will not show pain in front of him. Pain is just a message. Pain is just a message. PAIN is just a MESSAGE! I barely stay standing. I cover it by turning as if checking out a new house, instead looking for escape routes. Nothing that could fit me or cause a suitable distraction. I need to get time for the flock to leave. They should at least have a chance.

Standing tall, I turn to face him again, having turned finished and gotten used to the pain. I will help the flock. "Wow, too scared to take me on One-on-One? Can't beat the 15 year-old girl can you?"

He ignores me. "I know where you live, Maximum. I can have the Flock surrounded." He says my name with spite, as if I don't deserve it. Anger begins to turn my vision red. I have been stronger, taking more than most men ever will. I beat Itex, the Uber-director and Mr. Chu himself. Sure, I got hurt, but the flock was always there. The flock…

Maybe I don't. Some of the anger dies. If I can't keep me safe; how can I keep the Flock safe, happy, normal and … alive? Do I have the right to drag them down with me? Should I really bring the others into these life-or-death battles?

A picture of the Flock dead flashes past my eyes and sadness takes over. I struggle to stay upright against the pain in my chest, adding to the fire in my veins. The weight is crushing in its own right, but with the 'saving the world' gig and the army in front of me. Why now, in full view of Mr. Chu?

Then, suddenly, I'm not worried. I can see the enemies; still, somehow, he can't hurt me. Not now or ever. I am really the invincible Maximum Ride right now. Lost in this feeling of true safety, I am vaguely aware of gunshot, but nothing hurts. I see blood on my shirt, slowly blooming outward and feel nothing. As I watch, it stops and heals. In under 5 seconds. When I looked down, I'm glowing. I can see the ground several feet below, yet have not moved my wings. In a small window, I see my reflection.

With my hair being blown by a seaming powerful wind and my eyes a flat, sky blue, I look unearthly. The blinding light coming from my skin helps. Distractedly, I notice the Erasers breaking ranks about 5ft below me. Since when could I float? I muse this over for no more than a second. I see Mr. Chu, hate now planted deep in my chest. When I speak my voice holds extreme power, not do-what-I-say power. More like when Angel's voice as she tell someone to do something using her power. With that undertone that says there is no escape.

"You will be gone, NOW" The last word is not a yell, but has a kind of unnamable force. Then, like magic, all the robots burst into flame, the living just disappearing with a scream and pile of ashes left behind. Only Mr. Chu is left, before he walks back down the alley. I watch with cold eyes, as my body realizes what has happened. I just killed them all; without lifting a finger.

It's too much. As Mr. Chu walks around a corner and out of sight I send I message to Angel: "I'm okay. Go home and go to bed. See you in the morning." I hope she hears. Then, finally, I pass into a deep faint. Darkness, peaceful at last.

XXXXXXXXX

**R&R please! I need to know what you think! Oh! And read my other stories! And I have the rough of the second prologue written (yeah there are two)! So the faster you review…**

**Um… you might want to alert me… I'm not good with updating… and forgetting sucks (I would know)… so just saying…! Actually, just this story if you like long, mostly edited stories. I have two Max Ride stories, this one (my nice, edited, long one…) and Trust (my less-edited, much shorter one w/ chappies about usually 500 words or , often, less). Yeah so… check it out. That one will be updated often because the first 6 chapters combined are less then this…**


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